The Annual Meeting of the Swedish Pioneer Historical Society, January 27-28 1961

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
SWEDISH PIONEER HISTORICAL SOCIETY
JANUARY 27-28, 1961
The Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Swedish Pioneer
Historical Society was held on Friday evening, January 27,
1961, at North Park College, Chicago.
E. Einar Andersson, president of the Society, in a word
of welcome, expressed his delight at having so many mem­bers
in attendance. More than 175 persons were present.
President Karl A. Olsson of North Park College greeted
the assembly and offered prayer.
The secretary, E. Gustav Johnson, reported on the ac­tivities
of the Society during the year and, as editor, referred
to the publication of the four quarterly issues of the
PIONEER.
The executive secretary, Nils William Olsson, reported on
the membership enlistment which indicates that the Society
will soon have a thousand members. He also spoke of the
proposed charter flight to Sweden this summer.
The treasurer, Claus V. Nordquist, reported on the fi­nances.
The total income for the year, including the balance
on hand January 20, 1960, amounted to $4394.83; the ex­penditures:
$3323.45, thus leaving a balance of $1071.38. In
the special publications account there is also a balance of
$1139.31.
Franklin D. Scott, as chairman of the editorial committee,
gave a brief report on present and contemplated publishing
projects. By special arrangement the Society is sponsoring
the forthcoming book of autobiographical reminiscences of
Dr. Adolph B. Benson of Yale, an honorary life member of
the Society.
Thorsten Hanson, chairman of the elections committee,
reported that the following had been elected as Board mem­bers
for a term of three years: Karl A. Olsson, E. Gustav
Johnson, Paul A. Varg, Herman G. Nelson, and C. George
79
Ericson. Karl A. Olsson, because of the pressure of other
duties, declined the election, and in his place the next high­est
in the balloting, Charles V. Johnson, was elected.
The Board submitted a recommendation that the Con­stitution
be amended in Article III, Section 2 by adding to
the first sentence: "—and shall not succeed themselves; they
may, however, be re-elected to the Board after an interim
of one year." The meeting voted to accept the recommen­dation
and amend the Constitution accordingly.
In behalf of Direktör Olof Ericson, publisher and print­ing
house executive, of Uddevalla, Sweden, Nils William
Olsson presented to the Society forty-eight volumes of a
magnificent topographical reference work, S v e n s k B e b y g ­gelse,
in deluxe binding. This generous gift of Mr. Ericson
is the first portion of an eventual 200-volume publication
containing pictures and descriptions of practically every
house and home, urban and rural, in Sweden, arranged by
provinces and parishes. E. Einar Andersson, in accepting
the gift for the Society called attention to the great value
this work has for providing information about the old homes
of the forebears of Americans of Swedish ancestry.
An informative and vivid lecture on the life and work of
Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller, Swedish artist in America at the
end of the eighteenth century, was delivered by Franklin
D. Scott of Northwestern University. Wertmüller, noted as
a portrait painter in Paris and in Stockholm and then in
Philadelphia, is known for his portrait of George Washing­ton,
his famous painting of Danae, now in the National Art
Museum in Stockholm, and his portrayal of Marie Antoi­nette
with her two children at the Trianon. Dr. Scott has
devoted much time to research on this artist and has trans­lated
the diary he kept as a gentleman farmer in the Dela­ware
valley in the 1790's and early 1800's. The Society
hopes to publish Dr. Scott's book on Wertmüller.
After the meeting the members and friends enjoyed a
social hour when refreshments were served.
On Saturday morning, January 28, the Board held its
annual meeting of organization.
80
Vilas Johnson, member of the Board since the founding
and first president of the Society, at present residing in
Paris, had in a letter to the president asked to be relieved
of Board membership. His resignation was accepted with
regret. Claus V. Nordquist was elected to serve out Mr.
Johnson's term.
The election of officers of the Society took place and re­sulted
as follows: E. Einar Andersson, president; Franklin
D. Scott, vice president; Nils William Olsson, executive sec­retary;
E. Gustav Johnson, secretary; and Claus V. Nord­quist,
treasurer.
The following committee appointments were announced
by the president:
Editorial Board: E. Gustav Johnson, chairman and editor
of the Quarterly; Paul A. Varg, associate editor; Conrad
Bergendoff, Emory K. Lindquist, Karl A. Olsson, and Wes­ley
Westerberg.
Finance C o m m i t t e e : Alvin C. Johnson, chairman; Carl A.
Dahlin, Axel A. Monson, Martin R. Wall, and Carl T. Widen.
Membership C o m m i t t e e : Nils William Olsson, chairman;
Gunnar A. Bloom, Herman G. Nelson, Birger Swenson, and
Stig G . Wiren.
Auditing C o m m i t t e e : B. W. Selin, chairman; Edwin C.
Elmer, and Gunnar Morton.
Nominating C o m m i t t e e : Charles V. Johnson, chairman,
Hugo Ottoson, and C. George Ericson.
C o m m i t t e e on B y - L a w s : C. George Ericson, chairman,
Karl A. Olsson, and B. W. Selin.
A report on the 1960 Charter Flight to Sweden was pre­sented
by Nils William Olsson. He was also appointed to
manage a Charter Flight to Sweden this summer if satisfac­tory
arrangements can be made.
E. GUSTAV JOHNSON
Secretary
81

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THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
SWEDISH PIONEER HISTORICAL SOCIETY
JANUARY 27-28, 1961
The Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Swedish Pioneer
Historical Society was held on Friday evening, January 27,
1961, at North Park College, Chicago.
E. Einar Andersson, president of the Society, in a word
of welcome, expressed his delight at having so many mem­bers
in attendance. More than 175 persons were present.
President Karl A. Olsson of North Park College greeted
the assembly and offered prayer.
The secretary, E. Gustav Johnson, reported on the ac­tivities
of the Society during the year and, as editor, referred
to the publication of the four quarterly issues of the
PIONEER.
The executive secretary, Nils William Olsson, reported on
the membership enlistment which indicates that the Society
will soon have a thousand members. He also spoke of the
proposed charter flight to Sweden this summer.
The treasurer, Claus V. Nordquist, reported on the fi­nances.
The total income for the year, including the balance
on hand January 20, 1960, amounted to $4394.83; the ex­penditures:
$3323.45, thus leaving a balance of $1071.38. In
the special publications account there is also a balance of
$1139.31.
Franklin D. Scott, as chairman of the editorial committee,
gave a brief report on present and contemplated publishing
projects. By special arrangement the Society is sponsoring
the forthcoming book of autobiographical reminiscences of
Dr. Adolph B. Benson of Yale, an honorary life member of
the Society.
Thorsten Hanson, chairman of the elections committee,
reported that the following had been elected as Board mem­bers
for a term of three years: Karl A. Olsson, E. Gustav
Johnson, Paul A. Varg, Herman G. Nelson, and C. George
79
Ericson. Karl A. Olsson, because of the pressure of other
duties, declined the election, and in his place the next high­est
in the balloting, Charles V. Johnson, was elected.
The Board submitted a recommendation that the Con­stitution
be amended in Article III, Section 2 by adding to
the first sentence: "—and shall not succeed themselves; they
may, however, be re-elected to the Board after an interim
of one year." The meeting voted to accept the recommen­dation
and amend the Constitution accordingly.
In behalf of Direktör Olof Ericson, publisher and print­ing
house executive, of Uddevalla, Sweden, Nils William
Olsson presented to the Society forty-eight volumes of a
magnificent topographical reference work, S v e n s k B e b y g ­gelse,
in deluxe binding. This generous gift of Mr. Ericson
is the first portion of an eventual 200-volume publication
containing pictures and descriptions of practically every
house and home, urban and rural, in Sweden, arranged by
provinces and parishes. E. Einar Andersson, in accepting
the gift for the Society called attention to the great value
this work has for providing information about the old homes
of the forebears of Americans of Swedish ancestry.
An informative and vivid lecture on the life and work of
Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller, Swedish artist in America at the
end of the eighteenth century, was delivered by Franklin
D. Scott of Northwestern University. Wertmüller, noted as
a portrait painter in Paris and in Stockholm and then in
Philadelphia, is known for his portrait of George Washing­ton,
his famous painting of Danae, now in the National Art
Museum in Stockholm, and his portrayal of Marie Antoi­nette
with her two children at the Trianon. Dr. Scott has
devoted much time to research on this artist and has trans­lated
the diary he kept as a gentleman farmer in the Dela­ware
valley in the 1790's and early 1800's. The Society
hopes to publish Dr. Scott's book on Wertmüller.
After the meeting the members and friends enjoyed a
social hour when refreshments were served.
On Saturday morning, January 28, the Board held its
annual meeting of organization.
80
Vilas Johnson, member of the Board since the founding
and first president of the Society, at present residing in
Paris, had in a letter to the president asked to be relieved
of Board membership. His resignation was accepted with
regret. Claus V. Nordquist was elected to serve out Mr.
Johnson's term.
The election of officers of the Society took place and re­sulted
as follows: E. Einar Andersson, president; Franklin
D. Scott, vice president; Nils William Olsson, executive sec­retary;
E. Gustav Johnson, secretary; and Claus V. Nord­quist,
treasurer.
The following committee appointments were announced
by the president:
Editorial Board: E. Gustav Johnson, chairman and editor
of the Quarterly; Paul A. Varg, associate editor; Conrad
Bergendoff, Emory K. Lindquist, Karl A. Olsson, and Wes­ley
Westerberg.
Finance C o m m i t t e e : Alvin C. Johnson, chairman; Carl A.
Dahlin, Axel A. Monson, Martin R. Wall, and Carl T. Widen.
Membership C o m m i t t e e : Nils William Olsson, chairman;
Gunnar A. Bloom, Herman G. Nelson, Birger Swenson, and
Stig G . Wiren.
Auditing C o m m i t t e e : B. W. Selin, chairman; Edwin C.
Elmer, and Gunnar Morton.
Nominating C o m m i t t e e : Charles V. Johnson, chairman,
Hugo Ottoson, and C. George Ericson.
C o m m i t t e e on B y - L a w s : C. George Ericson, chairman,
Karl A. Olsson, and B. W. Selin.
A report on the 1960 Charter Flight to Sweden was pre­sented
by Nils William Olsson. He was also appointed to
manage a Charter Flight to Sweden this summer if satisfac­tory
arrangements can be made.
E. GUSTAV JOHNSON
Secretary
81